When the latest press release from DC comics broke, the mainstream media, including the New York Times, took notice. It wasn't announcing another in a long line of television or film writers joining the comic ranks. It was about diversity. The character of Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, who hadn't been seen consistently in comic book pages since the mid-1960's, was returning in DC's latest, 52. What made the Kate Kane factor so central to a press release on DC's move to create more diverse characters in their projects? She was being re-imagined as a lesbian.
52 is a huge undertaking for the company as it unfolds in real time with one issue printed every week for a full year; normally comic readers wait a full month between issues. An ensemble piece, it follows the lives of some lesser-known DC characters as they try to help the world carry on after the disappearance of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.
As information spread regarding a lesbian Batwoman, every news outlet covered the story. Conservative talk radio started to raise its voice against including such things in what they saw as a "children's" medium. Comic book fan opinions split down the middle, with some purists upset that the character seemed to be undergoing too drastic a re-write while other readers looked forward to the refreshing direction. GLBT media- watchers like GLAAD simply applauded.
The irony of all the talk about DC moving towards diversity with a lesbian Batwoman is that this character is one in a long line of lesbian characters in mainstream comics, and the fifth recent lesbian character in the Batman universe alone. In fact, Kate Kane/Batwoman is brought into the 52 fold by well-established former Gotham Police detective Renee Montoya, a lesbian character from the now discontinued Gotham Central comic.
At the start of 52, readers find Renee depressed, single, and at the bottom of a bottle brought on by a series of misfortunes that occurred in the aforementioned Gotham Central. During that run Renee was outed to her family and co-workers by an enemy (The GLAAD-nominated, Gotham Central, Half a Life arc) then, already on edge, she became determined to see a dirty cop go down for his crimes. Unsuccessful in her mission to put him behind bars, Renee's only lifeline while on the job became her police partner Crispus Allen.
Sadly, Crispus was killed by the same dirty cop (Gotham Central, Corrigan II arc) and Renee lost control, nearly killing the man who murdered her partner. Turning in her badge and leaving her girlfriend, Renee began her descent into destructive behavior.
The idea of taking such a layered character as Renee Montoya and making her one of the central leads in 52 was a clever one. Although hardly the poster child for a well- adjusted lesbian character, she makes for a great hero and her personal journey becomes just as important as the underlining mysteries in the comic. She is a woman with a great deal of baggage who teeters on the edge, barely hanging on but with enough still in her to continue fighting for what is right. In her imperfections, the drama of her story is developed and the reader is able to therefore identify with the character.
Kate Kane made her reappearance in the DC Universe in 52 issue #7, when Renee went to her in order to gather information about a warehouse in which Renee and a client (a faceless man called The Question, who can alter his appearance when he wishes to) were attacked. Certain the warehouse was owned by Kate's very rich family, the socialite seemed an ideal lead.
As their first meeting unfolded, we learned that Kate was more than just a lead in an investigation--the nature of their past relationship had been a sexual one. But, unlike Renee, Kate isn't out of the closet. | 
